Anyone ever been to these places? Which one is the best for young children? Got a vaca coming up in July. Want to take my son for a couple days of fun to one of these.

The money aspect is not really a big deal. I get discounts on hotels, so I won't be booking the package through the waterpark. Just gonna buy the one day pass for the park and stay at a hotel on my own.

I'm looking for pure entertainment options. Which of the 3 stands out above the rest?

For young kids? Like primary grades? Great wolf IMhO. Kalihari has some really, really cool shit, but it can get bigger in scale. Great Wolf is cheaper by lots, too. Kalihari is definately better, but the slides are bigger and you pay for it.

Your son's age - definitely Great Wolf. Cheaper and much more targeted to kids under 5-6 years old. Been there twice in the last year or so. Good times. Big ass video arcade, ice cream/fudge shop, two pretty good restaurants, and they do some other cool kid stuff there too. The big tube speed slides are pretty good as well.

The concentration of urine in the half of the hot tub the kids can access is off the charts though.

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Great Wolf Lodge is wonderful. Taken my kids there three times, and they can't wait to return. Nice size (decent number of attractions, but not too large), good number of lifeguards, just overall a good place. One thing that comes to mind from your comments -- I don't think GWL sells day passes. You have to stay at the hotel if you want to get in. Maybe because of that, the place tends to not be overwhelmed with guests (in a good way).

I would avoid Kalahari like the plague. Way too overcrowded -- it was wall to wall people the time I was there, and the lines for everything were outrageous. My kids are 8 and 6, and they were rather overwhelmed by Kalahari's size (and the crowds). Kalahari also has a very spotty safety record. They've been notorious for not having enough lifeguards on duty, which came to a head when a kid drowned there a year or two ago. They now have more lifeguards, but it is very uneven enforcement -- overly cautious in a lot of ways (my kids were too small to do most everything there, including many of the same things they were allowed to do at GWL), whereas turning a blind eye to obvious safety violations (they have a wave pool in which they allow floating devices -- my daughter got trapped under one for a few seconds and was panicking). You could give me free passes to go back there, and I would not use them; that's how strongly I feel about the place.

Hope this helps.

If it flies, floats, or fornicates, always rent it -- it's cheaper in the long run.

I live near Splash Lagoon and have been there twice. I have not been to the other two. My daughter was 3 and then 5, she loved it. There are only 5 slides that I would label "thrill" slides and the set-up makes for a crowded/condensed area. There is a large area for little kids, slides for slightly older kids plus the "thrill" rides mentioned.

The guy who owns Splash Lagoon also owns half of the restaurants around the park so there are deals/extra packages with the hotels. I would still look at the website despite getting deals on hotels as you mentioned above.

Again, it was a good time because my daughter loved it, I personally got bored with the so called thrill slides during our second day. If I didn't live so close to the park, I am not sure that I would chosen this park as a vacation destination.

The guy who owns Slash Lagoon is also a lying, theiving, self centered, money grubbing, piss on the little man POS

He's butt fucking ugly, his kids are butt fucking ugly and he buys his way into whatever good cause is available, brings frivolous lawsuits against the local gubmints and is the cheapest SOB you'd ever come across

He has a plethora of lawyers whose speacialties are avoiding paying the sub contractors who build and maintain his hotels, his 6 Arby's, and 2 Applebee's

Other than that I suppose he's a swell fellow.... to those who he actually pays

You're better off at Waldameer Amusment Park where there's a water park, new wooden coaster and you're right at the neck of 7 miles of beaches, biking, picnicing, fishing and hiking ....and the hotels aren't all owned by Nic Scott, tho I'll vouch for none

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Splash Lagoon is a winter spot at best. Personally hate it although it has nothing to do with the owner for me. My worst nightmare is being trapped in a hot, airless noisy building with 200 kids and that place is the post card for it. Add in the general lack of cleanliness you'll get at any public pool where the water and air are both 102 degrees and it skeeves me out.

I think your best served by going to Great Wolf Lodge. Peeker's depiction of Splash Lagoon is pretty spot on. There's nothing better than getting hit by kids running toward the giant bucket in the middle of the place to get soaked.

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If it's babes in bakinis, Splash Lagoon is not the place. Was there in Feb., my wife was 7 months preggers and had a top 10 body, not that I was looking.

Fire Marshall Bill- Did you or family/friends used to work for Scott Enterprises?? I agree with your opinion. I left that part out in an attempt to be objective of only the facility of Splash Lagoon. I do avoid his places based on principle, but Splash Lagoon is one of a kind in the area, kid loves it and that trumps my personel feelings. Aside- My wife worked at the Applebees on Peach for a week or so before she got a job in her field- dirties place she ever worked at mostly due to his cheapness, I'm sure there are plenty of stories about that.

Peek had a good point- It's summer, be outside if you can. I've been to Waldemeer once in 15 years of living in this area so I can't say much, but the slides look fun as I see them from the road while headed to the peninsula.